Boticas

Sister cities

• Gond-Pontouvre

History

Human presence in the territory of Boticas dates back to prehistoric times and the Iron Age, as demonstrated by the numerous fortified settlements (castros) scattered across the municipality. Archaeologists have identified 27 such sites, of which the castros of Carvalhelhos and Lesenho are the most notable. Between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century CE, and possibly earlier, tin was mined at Carvalhelhos. In Lesenho, excavations uncovered four statues of Gallaecian warriors, carved stone figures likely representing symbolic embodiments of local elites and their ancestral traditions, reinforcing the political and religious authority of the fortified settlements with which they were associated. Archaeological evidence includes coins of emperors such as Hadrian and Constantine X Doukas, remains of thermal baths at Carvalhelhos and the Pedrinha bridge over the Beça River. During the early Middle Ages, the territory was traversed by successive waves of invading peoples, including the Suebi and Visigoths and later the Moors. Several local toponyms include the word Mouro (Moor) and are believed to date from this period, such as Côto dos Mouros, Penedo dos Mouros, Estrada dos Mouros, Cova da Moura, Moura Encantada and Mouril. The Barroso family, named after a tower in the locality of Sipiões (Sapiãos), descended from the Guedeões lineage and rose to prominence during the conquest of Seville in 1247 by Ferdinand III of Castile. In 1367, Ferdinand I granted the lands of Barroso to Rui Vasques Pereira, later transferring them to Vasco Gonçalves Barroso. Under John I, Boticas passed to Nuno Álvares Pereira, and from then the Terras de Barroso remained in the hands of the Dukes of Braganza and their descendants.

Geography

The municipality of Boticas is located in the Alto Tâmega intermunicipal community, within the district of Vila Real, in the Trás-os-Montes region, in northern Portugal. It is surrounded by five other municipalities: Montalegre to the north and west, Cabeceiras de Basto to the southwest, Ribeira de Pena and Vila Pouca de Aguiar to the south and Chaves to the east. There are two distinct agricultural zones in the municipality. The lower zone is formed by the interior watersheds of the Terva and Beça rivers and the right bank of the Tâmega. Although limited in size, it is among the most fertile areas, with abundant vegetation and a variety of crops, including vineyards, orchards, and cereals. In the higher zone, extensive natural meadows (lameiros) dominate, where rye and potatoes are cultivated on a large scale. * Alturas do Barroso e Cerdedo * Ardãos e Bobadela * Beça * Boticas e Granja * Codessoso, Curros e Fiães do Tâmega * Covas do Barroso * Dornelas * Pinho * Sapiãos * Vilar e Viveiro